merge e2e tests into main repo

[worstpractice]

For the time being, our e2e tests reside outside of our main project repo. This arrangement comes with certain benefits, as well as a number of obvious weaknesses (which I suspect may prove outstanding).

As I see it, in short, the main benefits of this arrangement is:

• Decoupling (the tests work just fine when ran from the 'user side' of things, i.e. visiting the page from the outside)
• No need to add dependencies to our project (again, the e2e tests work just fine when ran from a separate repo)
• Sidestepping the issue of integrating jest with Cypress (Cypress favors Mocha by default -- convenient if you run Cypress from a separate repo. However, in exchange for taking on another dependency for Jest, I can glue things up so Jest becomes the test runner for our Cypress suite)

However, the main drawbacks are:

• Inconvenient access (even when stored in a separate repo everyone can reach, such a process could prove annoying)
• Duplication of work (me maintaining a separate repo, etc -- work which I, of course, would gladly perform as part of my team duties)
• Other problems I haven't thought of yet (suggestions welcome!)

Either way, the tests need to be transparent, available, team property. And sooner rather than later, in my opinion.

Suggestions welcome (as in all matters)!

[moritzploss]

How would we go about merging the tests?

[worstpractice]

How would we go about merging the tests?

That is a very good question.

I think we should consider the issue of Github/Cypress integration and the issue of merging the e2e tests into our main repo, into a single issue on monday.

I fear the added complexity of combining them all... There are Jest extensions that trick Cypress into accepting Jest, despite the fact Cypress wants Mocha to run it...

It's important to state again that the e2e tests work just as well from outside the main repo.

I think the issue of rising complexity might weigh in favor of keeping the repos separate, just in order to stave off an absolute combinatorial explosion of complexity inside the main repo.

We'll revisit the issue on monday. Either way, I think it is critical that the team has full insight into (and easy access to) our e2e test suite.

I hope to have a (perhaps temporary) public repo available before the weekend is over, containing our (currently embryonic) e2e test suite, but mostly the files and folders (and configuration) cypress brings.

[worstpractice]

I've grown convinced that keeping the e2e tests in a separate repo is actually a pure benefit to the current project layout. With the secondary repo in place (link for those who missed it), the experience right now is nothing but convenient. As such, I suggest we do not merge the e2e tests into the main repo -- especially considering the risk in doing so (incompatible test runners and all that jazz).